by Sam Cheever
He frowned. “What meeting?”
“With Ms. Pence.”
He stared hard at me for a moment and then slowly shook his head.
Joy shot through me.
“I don’t think so.”
I forced my face to frown. “You promised.”
He shook his dark head again and leaned into me, nuzzling my neck gently with his teeth.
I nearly wet myself.
“I still have three hours left.”
Tears of joy were gathering in my eyes as his teeth nibbled their way up to my ear and gently clasped my lobe. “I don’t really think that will be necessary…”
He bit down on the lobe.
I gasped.
He licked the place he’d bitten me and stepped away. “You will accompany me to the Valentine’s Ball in two weeks.”
I stood up straight, my back going rigid with surprise and horror. “That’s not possible.”
He cocked his dark head, his dark green gaze fixed on my lips. “Why not?”
“Because! Cu… I mean Relationship Gurus never go to Valentine’s events. We have to work that night. It’s the one unbreakable part of our contracts.”
He reached a finger toward my mouth and touched my bottom lip, gently running it across the incredibly sensitive skin there. I fought the urge to lick his finger and draw it into my mouth.
His mouth split in a slow grin. “Perfect. Since you’ll be completing my pre-screening you will, technically, be working.” Then he leaned down, gently pressed his lips against mine and straightened. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I was so dazed by the idea of attending the Valentine’s dance with him that his words almost didn’t register. “What? Tomorrow? Wait…”
He just grinned at me and climbed into his sexy little sports car.
*
My voice mail was full the next morning. In addition to the usual communications from my partners and clients, I had several e-mails from Dema Pence. The woman was more than desperate. If I wasn’t so worried about the match I knew I had to make I’d feel sorry for her.
But I was worried.
She was willing.
He seemed not so willing to be matched up correctly.
And the worst part was that I was definitely on his side of the equation.
Not good when your Cupid is unenthusiastic about getting you your perfect match.
I sighed. Maybe I should do the mea culpa to Ms. Pence and excuse myself from her match. To me, it would be worth every penny of her fee to remove her from the books.
But I knew there was much more at stake than just the fee. The reputation of the firm would be irreparably damaged if I failed this one, very vocal, very famous client so miserably.
It would probably ruin us.
I owed it to the other Cupids in the firm to do my best on the Pence match. I just wasn’t sure how I was gonna get both parties together long enough to get it done. Bion Chronos was not being very cooperative.
Which reminded me. I had to talk to someone about the Valentine’s dance thing.
I stood up and walked down the hall toward Christian’s office. He was always my first choice for heart-to-heart talks because he was the most open-minded of all the Cupids.
His office door was closed and I could hear the murmur of voices inside. Then I remembered he’d been expecting clients that morning. He’d made a very successful match the previous week between a wealthy corporate lawyer and a well-known, self-made fashion icon with little money but great promise in the fashion world. He’d been very proud of that match. Aside from the physical and emotional connection the couple had made almost from the first, the lawyer’s money and connections would go far toward making sure the designer’s business would thrive, creating for him a financially successful custom-made shoe business that would be seen as stylish by all the right people. Not a bad week’s work.
I sighed, thinking I was overdue for one of these big, splashy matches. I used to pull them in on almost a weekly basis. Lately I’d been mired in mundane and, as far as the world was concerned, unimportant matches. But somehow they’d been much more fun and satisfying to me.
Now I had a chance to do the Pence match up big. Wealthy, ragingly heterosexual and financially well-established, Bion Chronos was the catch of the century for any available female. And his astonishing good looks only added to his universal appeal. We’d been thrilled to land him as a client and I’d been searching frantically to find him just the right mate. I’d thought I’d found it in Dema Pence. The stats supported the match. Ms. Pence certainly supported the match. But my heart told me it wasn’t a good match. And I could feel it slipping through my fingers as I stood there in the hallway, not sure who to talk to and how to explain my concerns.
That was when Bion walked in the front door of the firm. He was carrying a single lavender rose in one hand and wearing a smile.
He walked toward me, past the receptionist and extended the rose. “Good morning.”
Without thinking I took it. And then looked down at it in shock. A lavender rose, representing love at first sight. Damn!
I tried to hand it back to him.
He shook his head “Uh-uh. You accepted it.”
I frowned. “I can’t accept this, Mr. Chronos.”
He frowned back at me. “Bion.”
I turned away. “Mr. Chronos, can you join me in my office please?” I nodded to Becky, our receptionist, who shrugged at me as if to say, “Sorry, I couldn’t stop him.”
I didn’t turn to see if he was following me. I didn’t need to. I could feel every breath he took, every beat of his heart and every line of his hard body in my soul. I breathed deeply and his unique, knee-melting scent filled my head, making me dizzy with lust.
I really needed to get a grip.
I touched the doorframe as I entered my office to steady myself and then started moving toward my desk. I heard the door close and turned in panic.
It wasn’t safe for me to be closed into the office with him. I opened my mouth to tell him to open the door but I didn’t get the chance.
He was standing so close behind me my breasts rubbed across his chest as I turned. I gasped.
He smiled.
His lips found mine.
My eyes popped wide and, to my extreme credit, I did try to push him away. For about three seconds. And then I succumbed to the drug that was Bion.
My knees buckled and his arms snugged around my waist, holding me upright and so tight against his body that I couldn’t move. Couldn’t form a straight thought.
I stopped breathing my own air and consumed his instead. It was a heady brew filled with sexual heat and untamed musk. I drank it down like fine wine. My head spinning with the kick from it.
He pulled his lips from mine and I gave a little cry, throwing my arms around his neck to hold him close.
He chuckled softly and took my bottom lip between strong, white teeth, nibbling until I thought I’d come on the spot, just from the sheer, unfocused pleasure.
His teeth left my mouth and nibbled their way down to my jawline, where pleasure points I never knew I had exploded into life.
I lifted a leg and wrapped it shamelessly around his waist, pulsing against him like a bitch in heat.
Our kiss deepened into wildness, all thought stopped, only feeling remained. And what a feeling! I’d never experienced such unbridled pleasure from a kiss. My body was like one giant nerve ending and the sensations it was getting from the Bion stimulus were all good.
So good.
It was somewhere in the midst of this mindless enjoyment that I heard my office door open. My mind was in such a pleasure fog it didn’t register for a moment what I’d heard. But when it finally did my head jerked up.
Christian stood just inside the door, looking like a stroke victim with his mouth all slack and horrified.
All of the blood in my body that had, up to that horrifying moment, been rushing willy-nilly to my happy places switched direction in
the space of one terrified heartbeat and rushed to my face.
I was so dazed that I almost forgot to stop humping Bion.
Bion finally noticed that I’d stopped responding and lifted his dark head from my cleavage. His eyes were unfocused, his smile soft, like a drunk.
He finally registered my horror and turned toward the door.
Christian looked like he’d just eaten a bug.
Bion tried to step away from me but I still had my leg wrapped around his waist. I gave a little mew of embarrassment when Bion had to forcibly remove my leg from around his waist so he could step away and present at least a modicum of dignity to my outraged partner.
I tried a weak smile. “Hey, Christian.”
Christian’s mouth opened but all that came out was a gagging sound. He closed it and shifted his weight to the other foot, looking pale.
I wondered if I could make myself small enough to fit in the bottom drawer of my desk. I thought that one had a key. I could lock myself in there for about a hundred years and then maybe someday somebody would rub the drawer and let me out.
It seemed like a really good option at the moment.
Chapter Three
Face the Music
“Are you crazy, Daphne?”
I had my face buried in my hands, my elbows resting on my desk. “Yes. I think I am.”
Christian dropped his perfect, round butt into my client chair and stared at me. “What were you thinking?”
My head flew up and I fixed him with a tearful gaze, “I wasn’t thinking, Christian! Obviously!”
He sighed, shaking his head. “Oh Daphne. You know you have to stop seeing him.”
I nodded. “I know that. But I’m afraid he won’t let me.”
Christian’s head shot up, “What? Has he threatened you?” His beautiful face darkened in anger and he clenched the large, perfect fists resting on the arms of the client chair.
“No! No, he would never hurt me, Christian.”
My colleague frowned, “I believe he already has.”
I shrugged. “I mean physically. He’s just very insistent that he get his full pre-screening.”
Christian unclenched his fists and sat back, crossing an ankle at a knee. “Well, that’s no problem, I can fulfill the rest of his time.”
My head shot up and I snorted. “I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t go for that.”
Christian got a mean smile on his face. “I’m not going to give him a choice.”
I nodded, feeling tears flood my eyes. I should be relieved to have Christian step in and take care of my little “problem” but somehow I was just miserable.
Seeing the unshed tears I was fighting to hold back, Christian cocked his head at me. “You know he would have turned away from you soon?”
I nodded, pulling a tissue from the box in my bottom desk drawer as I lost the battle against tears. I blew my nose as daintily as I could and fixed Christian with a watery gaze.
“My brain is telling me that but my heart and my body don’t want to hear it.”
He nodded and gave me a sad smile. “I know exactly how you feel.”
And he did, I realized with a start. Christian had once fallen in love with a mortal woman, only to have his heart crushed when she eventually forgot he existed and mated up with another human.
“Listen, I know it sucks, Daphne. But unfortunately we have no control over it. It’s set into the fabric of fate.”
I sighed and tried to smile. “Thanks for helping me, Christian. You’re a good friend.”
He stared at me for a moment, realizing I wanted to be alone but unsure whether it was wise to leave me. Apparently deciding I’d be okay, he nodded and stood up. “If you need to talk…”
I nodded. “Thanks.”
After he left I cried silently at my desk for a few minutes and then dried my eyes and headed for the ladies to splash cold water on my face. It was for the best. Once Bion realized he couldn’t have me he would move in another direction and soon his mortal mind would push me out. Forgotten. Done. Over.
But I wouldn’t forget the heat of his kisses. Or the way his scent made my knees give out. Or the way it had felt to roll around that darkened roller rink in his arms, under the fractured pulse of the lights from the huge disco ball hanging above us and the matching throb of the music.
My phone rang and I picked it up.
“Ms. Charissa?”
I closed my eyes and silently cursed myself for picking up. “Hello, Ms. Pence.”
“Have you set up my match with Mr. Chronos yet?”
Damn! “Well, no, not yet, Ms. Pence. Mr. Chronos has requested that we complete his pre-screening before we set the appointment.”
A long silence ensued. Then, “Why on earth would he do that?”
I sighed, “I don’t know, Ms. Pence, but he’s been most insistent. In an attempt to expedite things I’ve asked my colleague Christian Kairos to complete the match. He has more time available on his calendar to accommodate Mr. Chronos’ pre-screening.”
“No!”
“Excuse me?”
“I don’t want Mr. Kairos to complete the match!”
I was shocked, I hadn’t expected this. I’d actually assumed Ms. Pence would prefer Christian over me, with the idea that she’d assume she could manipulate him more easily. I realized how cynical that made me sound but didn’t retract that thought.
“Would you rather someone else take your match, Ms. Pence?”
“No! I want you. I’m comfortable with you. And for some reason I have a feeling you are the only one who can help me.” Her voice, amazingly, was filled with desperation and held a pleading note.
“I’m sorry, Ms. P…”
“I’ll raise a stink if you don’t finish this, Ms. Charissa. I’ll call the press. And then I’ll call my lawyer.” Her pleading tone had turned dark and petulant.
As always when dealing with this particular actress, I couldn’t help wondering which of the range of emotions she favored me with were genuine. Or if any of them were. “I really hadn’t meant to cause you any trouble, Ms. Pence. I’m trying to speed things up for you.”
“Clear your calendar, Ms. Charissa. You’ll be completing my match later this week. You just let me know when you’ve set the appointment with Mr. Chronos and I’ll be there.”
Click.
I hung up the phone feeling slightly dazed. The irony of the situation was rich. I sat there for a few moments trying to think of a way around the dilemma. When I could come up with nothing I finally stood up and left my office. I found Christian sitting behind his desk, looking like I felt. He glanced up at me when I entered his office.
His eyes followed me as I sat down in one of his client chairs. We stared at each other for a beat. Then he said, “Mr. Chronos’ lawyer will be calling me this afternoon.”
I sighed, “Becky will be busy putting lawyers through. Ms. Pence’s lawyer will be calling if I give the match to you.”
We stared silently at each other for another moment.
Christian frowned. “So where are you and Mr. Chronos going for your last three hours?”
I blinked. “Don’t make me tell you.”
He swore. “How bad can it be, Daphne? It’s only three hours.”
I laughed. “Believe me, it’s bad.” We stared at each other for a few beats and then I sighed. “He wants me to go to the Valentine’s Ball with him.”
Christian’s mouth drooped open in shock. “You can’t do that!”
“That’s what I told him.”
“That’s our one unbreakable, no excuses except death, everybody works, no exceptions, duty day. Cupids never, ever, ever, go as invited guests to a Valentine’s event. The Fates will have a bleepin’ cow!”
“I know.”
Christian narrowed his eyes at me. “So how are you gonna pull it off?”
I sighed. “I think Bion has found a loophole.”
Christian grinned. “Do tell.”
“I told him I couldn�
�t go because I had to work that night. He said that was fine because technically I would be working…completing his pre-screening.”
Christian thought about this for a minute and then shook his head. “Damn! He’s right.”
I finally allowed myself to smile. “I know.”
*
I blurred my vision until I tapped into my special sight. I toggled the tiny arrow into place with my little finger, as I’d been taught to do since the tender age of five, and slowly began to put pressure on the slender trigger with my thumb. With a barely discernible click the arrow shot free and sailed across the yard to embed itself dead center in my heart-shaped target. I grinned.
A perfect score again. As usual, I would pass this year’s exams with flying colors. I toggled another arrow into place and started to sight down my index finger. A gentle chiming sound behind me made me jump and I discharged the tiny arrow into a passing bird. Fortunately it was only a love arrow, not fatal but definitely effective.
The little bird, having been focused on a big crow at the time my arrow hit its tiny blue chest, blurted out a beautiful song filled with ornithological passion and shot toward the crow, little birdy stars in its eyes.
The crow took one look at its randy admirer and gave an ugly squawk, lifting into the air in a frantic attempt to escape. The little blue bird shot after it, singing happily.
I shook my head in disgust. “You know I hate it when you sneak up on me, Clotho.” I turned to look into the old woman’s face. It was currently in its hag form, though she often came to me as a beautiful young woman. The hag form didn’t bode well for the coming conversation. It sometimes preceded a visit from the Furies.
Clotho, the weaver of the thread of life, looked at me through filmy eyes accompanied by sagging flesh and thin, twisted lips. “Should I have jumped in front of your arrow while looking in your face? It would have been an interesting story to tell the gods.”
I scowled and suppressed a shiver of revulsion. Having a Fate hag obsessing over me, even for a few minutes, was not on my list of things I wanted to experience. Being deities, the Fates don’t really succumb to my magic arrows but they would be affected by them for the few minutes it took for their incredibly efficient systems to throw it off. It would be an ugly few minutes.
